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Unraveling the Shocking Twists of Netflix’s Korean Thriller Karma!

BBG News

The Korean drama “Karma” builds its tension using a complex timeline. The story revolves around six individuals whose lives are interconnected due to a tragic event from the past. The narrative starts midway, as an injured man is admitted to a hospital in the fictional town of Guhoe, South Korea. This man, Park Jae-yeong, is treated by Doctor Lee Ju-yeon, who regrets saving him upon recognizing his name. It’s only at the end of the season that we discover how Ju-yeon was acquainted with Jae-yeong before and why their reunion sends chills down her spine.

In the story, we go back two weeks in time and encounter Park Jae-yeong (Lee Hee-joon from “A Killer Paradox”), who is a factory worker struggling with overwhelming debt to loan sharks. The main creditor, portrayed by Jo Jin-woong from “Signal”, abducts Jae-yeong and gives him a chilling glimpse into his organ-trafficking business. If Jae-yeong doesn’t manage to repay the debt within 30 days, the loan shark warns him that he will face the same fate on the operating table.

In a moment of extreme desperation, Jae-yeong devises a scheme to end the life of his father, Park Dong-sik (also known as Uncle Samsik, portrayed by Choi Hong-il), in order to claim a 500 million won insurance payout. Tragically, this plan sets off a chain of events that results in the deaths of five individuals and brings about a sense of tranquility for another. Let’s examine how these events unfold and explore the intricate web of connections between the six principal characters in “Karma.

Who is Kim Sung-kyun’s Jang Gil-ryong?

When Jae-yeong determines he wants his father killed, he begins the search for an accomplice. He selects Jang Gil-ryong, a Korean-Chinese man who’s been recently let go from Jae-yeong’s workplace, as a possible assassin. Gil-ryong is associated with the Korean-Chinese mafia and needs money to support his child back home. Although Jae-yeong and Gil-ryong don’t interact much at work, Jae-yeong recognizes him as someone who might be willing to carry out a contract killing.

In a scrap yard, Jae-yeong locates Gil-ryong and offers him a job: to assassinate Jae-yeong’s father. Jae-yeong suggests making it appear as a hit-and-run incident, so the insurance company will compensate them. He provides specific instructions for Gil-ryong to intentionally crash into his father’s car while he is exiting church, specifying an alley on Dong-sik’s usual route home that lacks surveillance cameras.

How much is 500 million won in U.S. dollars?

What price is Jae-yeong prepared to pay to take his father’s life? At the moment of writing, that amount equals approximately $342,550 or five-hundred million won.

Who is Park Hae-soo’s “The Witness?”

As a film enthusiast, let me share my take on this: In the upcoming episode, “Rewind,” Gil-ryong requests assistance from an old acquaintance, Kim Beom-jun – a man known to many as “The Witness” – to carry out a tragic act against Jae-yeong’s father. It is essential to note that this friend of Gil-ryong shares a past with him behind bars. Moreover, Beom-jun is the unnamed driver who met a fatal accident involving Dong-sik.

If everything had gone according to plan, Dong-sik would’ve succumbed swiftly, allowing Jae-yeong to claim his life insurance, and both Gil-ryong and Beom-jun would’ve pocketed some money. But, not only does Dong-sik miraculously survive being hit by a car twice, but one of his church friends happens to witness the accident. In the end, an injured Dong-sik is thrown in the backseat by Beom-jun, and he tells Gil-ryong that they’ll need a fresh strategy now.

How Yu-jeong and “Glasses” are connected to Beom-jun

From the popular drama “Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency,” Gong Seung-yeon (played by Yu-jeong) is an attractive woman whom Beom-jun recognizes from their shared hometown, Guhoe. They share a mutual pastime of tricking people out of their money, which brings them together. Upon Beom-jun’s release from prison, it’s Yu-jeong who fetches him and the duo resume their life of criminal activities hand in hand.

In a different phrasing: Yu-jeong uses her charm to attract wealthy, married men. Just as they’re about to engage intimately, Beom-jun unexpectedly enters, pretending to be Yu-jeong’s boyfriend. They later threaten to reveal this deception if the victims don’t pay them for their silence.

In the series “Running Man,” character Lee Kwang-soo (also known as Dr. Han Sang-hoon) is the newest target, or mark, for Yu-jeong. She’s taken him to a secluded hotel in the countryside on the night of Dong-sik’s murder. However, Beom-jun, who was supposed to join her next in their con, has been delayed due to his unsuccessful attempt at killing Dong-sik.

Beom-jun devises a plan to accomplish two tasks simultaneously: returning to Seoul in the dead of night and avenging Dong-sik’s death. He directs Yu-jeong to persuade Sang-hoon to drive them back to Seoul. On a misty mountain road, Beom-jun stands on a bridge with a critically injured or deceased Dong-sik. When Sang-hoon passes underneath, Beom-jun hurls Dong-sik off the bridge, landing him on Sang-hoon’s windshield below. The tragic event convinces Sang-hoon that he is responsible for the death, and in a state of intoxication with a woman other than his wife, he decides to hide his involvement.

Why “The Witness” blackmails “Glasses”

Here enters “The Witness”, or Beom-jun, who disguises himself as an ordinary cyclist bystander. In this role, he pretends to be a victim when confronted by Sang-hoon. Sang-hoon coerces Beom-jun into assisting him in burying Dong-sik’s body in the nearby hills, unaware that Beom-jun has orchestrated this entire scenario. Sang-hoon offers Beom-jun 10 million won (approximately $6,850) to keep quiet about the incident, but Beom-jun demands more money from Sang-hoon in the days that follow, using his knowledge of the crime as leverage.

It’s possible that Beom-jun and Yu-jeong managed to escape suspicion about the accident at first. However, a casual remark made by Sang-hoon’s mechanic, Sang-hoon, causes him to rethink the entire event. Upon reviewing footage from his dashboard camera, Sang-hoon discovers that Beom-jun had orchestrated the whole incident.

Sang-hoon kills Yu-jeong and Beom-jun kills Sang-hoon

It turns out sadly for Sang-hoon, he remains unaware that Yu-jeong was involved in the scam. When they cross paths again, she stops pretending to be innocent. Later, Yu-jeong and Beom-jun administer drugs to an unsuspecting Sang-hoon and transport him to a colossal abandoned building in their hometown of Guhoe. This structure is significant as it was the site of the fire that caused Jae-yeong’s burns, as depicted in the opening scenes of the series.

The trio, Yu-jeong, Beom-jun, and Sang-hoon, had a twisted plan to bury Sang-hoon alive. However, things don’t go as planned when he wakes up in their car while they’re digging the grave. Instead of running away, Sang-hoon decides to take revenge. He crashes the car into Yu-jeong, killing her instantly. Beom-jun then retaliates by using a shovel to kill Sang-hoon.

It’s unfortunate for Beom-jun that Sang-hoon’s pregnant wife has employed a detective agency to gather evidence against him for his affair with Yu-jeong. Two detectives trailed Sang-hoon’s vehicle and witnessed the murder of Sang-hoon at an abandoned Guhoe warehouse, which they captured on video. They submitted this footage to the police, resulting in a warrant for Sang-hoon’s arrest. Now, he is being sought by authorities.

Beom-jun kills Jae-yeong and Gil-ryong, and Steals Jae-yeong’s identity

As a cinephile, I’m seething over Gil-ryong’s blunder in taking out my father – the payoff for that hit job was supposed to secure my future. But now, due to the fishy circumstances surrounding the hit-and-run accident, the insurance company is holding off on payment while they delve deeper into the matter. The irony is bitter – Gil-ryong himself wants his cash too, as he’s in hot water for being caught on CCTV murdering a cop who dropped by his junkyard to probe Dong-sik’s death.

Jae-yeong and Gil-ryong arrange to meet, but things don’t go as planned for Jae-yeong – he attempts to kill Gil-ryong but is woefully inept, allowing Gil-ryong to take control. Gil-ryong then carries an unconscious Jae-yeong to Beom-jun, who has taken refuge at the Guhoe warehouse and is himself wanted by the authorities. Upon noticing a striking resemblance between himself and Jae-yeong, Beom-jun concocts a new scheme: he intends to assume Jae-yeong’s identity. To do so, he ends both Gil-ryong and Jae-yeong’s lives and sets the building ablaze. In an ironic twist of fate, Beom-jun himself becomes ensnared in the flames that he ignited.

Who is Shin Min-a’s Lee Ju-yeon?

(Content warning: This contains descriptions of sexual violence)

The concluding episode of Karma, named “Karma” itself, commences in a manner similar to the initial episode. Here, Beom-jun is shown arriving at the hospital where Ju-yeon is, but this time, we are aware that he is not truly Park Jae-yeong, despite his claim. Additionally, we now understand why Ju-yeon holds such deep resentment towards Jae-yeong.

Through the course of events dictated by Karma, it becomes clear that Ju-yeon, Yu-jeon, Jae-yeong, and Beom-jun all hail from Guhoe. Ju-yeon and Yu-jeon shared the same classroom, with Yu-jeon harboring envy towards Ju-yeon’s natural beauty. Seeking retribution against an unsuspecting Ju-yeon, Beom-jun proposes leading her astray by introducing her to questionable individuals.

In another phrasing: Yu-jeon arranges for Park Jae-yeong to go out with Ju-yeon on a blind date, and then guides her to a private location. However, two unidentified men are hiding there and overpower both Ju-yeon and Jae-yeong. The men take Ju-yeon away, where they assault her in an old warehouse that frequently appears in the series. Afterward, Ju-yeon discovers that Park Jae-yeong was not a victim but rather a participant in this horrific event, making it even more painful for her as she deals with both the betrayal and the sexual violence she has endured.

After many years, she learns to make it through each day without dwelling on the traumatic event, but her nights are still troubled with disturbing dreams. Suddenly, a man who introduces himself as Jae-yeong appears at her hospital. In an attempt to uncover their whereabouts, she employs the same private investigation agency that captured Sang-hoon’s murder on film. This agency is led by a compassionate former detective known from “My Mister” named Park Ho-san. Although the two other perpetrators have passed away, the detective informs her that Jae-yeong is indeed in her hospital. It turns out that he too has been deceived by Beom-jun’s identity switch.

Ju-yeon spares Beom-jun’s life

Originally, I had it in my mind to off Beom-jun, whom I mistook for Jae-yeong. However, after Beom-jun disregarded medical advice and left the hospital, I took advantage of my connections at a private detective agency to swap out his painkillers with fentanyl. I trailed him to Dong-sik’s church, where he had a heated confrontation with a nun regarding Jae-yeong’s father’s insurance policy. In a shocking turn of events, the company finally paid out 500 million won, but instead of going to Jae-yeong, the money was given to the church. Dong-sik had changed his beneficiary just a week before his death. This revelation left Jae-yeong bereft, having taken her father’s life for naught.

Wrathful and likely hurting, Beom-jun exits the church in a hurry. Before stepping into the same alley where he hit Dong-sik several weeks ago, he takes some of his medication. As Ju-yeon appears with a scalpel, Beom-jun starts to feel the impact of the fentanyl. Just then, Ju-yeon approaches, casting doubt on his claim that he isn’t Jae-yeong. This is because she overheard him identify himself as Dong-sik’s son to the nun. Unconvinced by his explanation, she remains skeptical.

Before Ju-yeon gets a chance to slit Beom-jun’s throat, her boyfriend, Jeong-min (played by Kim Nam-gil in “Island”), unexpectedly shows up. Instead of preventing her, he advises her to ponder her actions: “Consider all you’ve been through. You don’t need to destroy your life over someone like him.” Unlike most characters in Karma, Ju-yeon decides against murder. She leaves the scene and finds tranquility. Later, when a private detective presents Ju-yeon with evidence revealing that Beom-jun isn’t Jae-yeong, she refuses to look at it. After recent events, she is finally able to move forward in her life.

Ju-yeon’s boyfriend kills Beom-jun

In my opinion, Beom-jun’s tranquility won’t last long. He believes he has managed to cheat death this time, yet remains oblivious to the 30-day deadline Jae-yeong has set. The due date for his loan repayment is here, and unfortunately for Beom-jun, he finds himself in the grips of ruthless loan shark associates. Mistakenly assuming him to be Jae-yeong, they whisk him away to an organ-harvesting facility. Here, every one of his vital organs is destined to be extracted and sold for profit, a grim reality that awaits Beom-jun.

In a surprising turn of events, it’s revealed that the illicit surgeon is none other than Jeong-min, Ju-yeon’s boyfriend. To cope with his student loans and save for their future marriage, he secretly works on the side for a loan shark. Today marks his final day in this line of work. As he operates on Beom-jun, he says, “Just consider this as bad karma.”

(This version aims to make the text more accessible and easy to read while retaining the original meaning.)

In the finale of their series, the loan shark presents a parting token to Jeong-min – a Rolex watch that has been passed around among characters. Initially found in Dong-sik’s apartment, it was temporarily taken by Jae-yeong and later worn as his own. The original Jae-yeong was killed by Beom-jun, who then seized the watch. However, after Beom-jun met an untimely end, the loan shark reclaimed the timepiece and bestowed it upon Jeong-min.

What does the ending of Karma mean?

In the story of Karma, each character faces the consequences of their actions. Yu-jeong, Beom-jun, and Jae-young were involved in the sexual assault of Ju-yeon, a teenager. Instead of seeking redemption, they focused on fulfilling personal desires. Similarly, Sang-hoon chose to protect his reputation and pride above all else, often disregarding others’ lives.

As a passionate admirer, I’d say Gil-ryong is undeniably one of the characters grappling with the repercussions of their grim deeds, yet he stands out as the most morally-driven among them. His actions, though brutal, seem less self-serving and more driven by a profound need to secure a future for his child. Unfortunately, his life is complicated by the racial prejudice he encounters as a Korean-Chinese man in Korea. Despite this, Gil-ryong finds himself confronted with the agonizing decision to take an innocent man’s life, Dong-sik.

Karma, when looked at beyond its religious context, could be understood as a secular concept that emphasizes our interconnectedness in society. Our actions, intentional or not, influence others around us. Sometimes, the repercussions of how we treat each other may seem reminiscent of karma. Yet, similar to the recent Korean-language Netflix film “Revelations,” it also has a religious dimension worth considering.

Before Dong-sik meets his own demise, he humbly petitions God, expressing his deep regret for the transgressions committed by his child. From a pew, he confesses these wrongdoings, pleading with God to take his life in atonement. Soon after, Dong-sik’s murder sets off a chain of events leading to the downfall and eventual death of five individuals, among them being his son.

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2025-04-04 23:07

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